Khafretekh Dynasty
The Khafretekh Dynasty is a void-based Necron Dynasty whose Tomb Worlds were lost in the last days of the Great Sleep. The Crownworld originally situated on the southern edge of the Segmentum Tempestus, their territories were swallowed by the coming of Hive Fleet Leviathan. The remnants of their dynasty now roam the void in the form of a single powerful battlefleet, which houses the entirety of the dynasty's few remaining armies. These armies, and the fleet itself, can most commonly be seen striking at Tyranid Hive Fleet tendrils, especially in defense of still-awakening tomb worlds. Dynasty History In the days of the ancient Necrontyr, the Khafretekh Dynasty was founded by a Philosopher-Queen named Amunet Khafra, who became the first Phaerakh of her Dynasty. She carved out a small but extremely wealthy realm in the Galactic South, but like most other Necrontyr, died young from myriad diseases and cancers. Even so, Amunet’s unusually optimistic philosophies (especially for a Necrontyr) instilled her people with a culture which valued wisdom, loyalty, and honor above all other virtues. As Amunet had left her people with such an abundant and resource-rich domain, her heirs and even her subjects were able to continue to cultivate a culture of philosophy and honor. The Khafretekh dynasty garnered a reputation amongst the other dynasties, as the Phaerons and Phaerakhs through the ages became known for their high-minded thinking and sense of nobility. Many of the other Necrontyr nobility scoffed at this, but a few grew to respect it. The Secession Wars Upon the outbreak of the Secession Wars, the philosophical Khafretekh Phaerons technically remained neutral in the conflict between the supporters of the Triarch and the rebel Dynasties. The several Khafretekh Phaerons who came and went during this conflict would usually choose to support one side or the other through the lending of wealth and equipment, choosing sides in this way based on personal philosophies, without ever truly entering the conflict. Still, this did not mean the dynasty did not suffer during the Secession Wars. Almost none of the rulers of the Khafretekh were willing to sully themselves with the use of dishonorable tactics, such as Deathmark assassinations. Instead, they strictly adhered to the Triarch’s Codes of War through all acts, even those in opposition to the Triarch. Many of the highest ranking Khafretekh nobility were murdered in this time by lower-born rivals with no such scruples. Those who survived this period began to adopt a more heavy-handed and pragmatic approach to rulership. The teachings of their founder would slowly be relegated to philosophical debate, then reduced to mere historical study, and finally treated as admirable, but impossible, utopian ideals. The Biotransference and the War in Heaven When the Star gods came, and offered the Necrontyr the secret to life eternal, the Khafretekh embraced it willingly. The ruler of the dynasty at the time, an ambitious, charismatic young Phaeron known as Ahmoset, was already deeply ill, at an early age, even for a Necrontyr. Ahmoset had long been a student of Amunet's teachings. But while Ahmoset embraced her strategic genius and political accomplishments, he diverged sharply from her teachings on the value of war and the honor to be found in it. Ahmoset believed that honor was found in the crushing of enemies and the expansion of the Khafretekh's domain, such that their wisdom could spread. Moreover, he decided that Amunet's ways actually held her back from making the Khafretekh to be among the greatest Necrontyr dynasties of them all. Had she been more ambitious, perhaps she could have even rivaled the Sautekh, or the Triarch themselves. Ahmoset would correct this. He ordered the construction of an awe-inspiring armada, to be made of the most colossal, advanced, and deadly Necrontyr warships. It would be the greatest military undertaking in the history of the Dynasty, and with this fleet, they would shine in the stars forever. And even more importantly, he filled his court with individuals who shared his aggressive worldview. Yet for all his ambition, Ahmoset was dying. Raging at the unfairness of fate, he decided the only way he could hope to achieve greatness of any measure would be to accept this gift of eternal life, whatever the cost. And accept it he did, for himself, his court, and his people. Thereafter, under the direct control of the Silent King, the Khafretekh Dynasty fought against the Old Ones and their allies alongside a C’tan known as Gorthaur, the Terrible Dread. As his fleet grew, Ahmoset and his crypteks worked tirelessly, using the titanic clashes against the psychically charged Old One, Aeldari, and Krork ships to develop countermeasures and test systems. And when the war was won, they destroyed Gorthaur and captured several of his fragments in one great and terrifying display of absolute technological mastery. Then, the Silent King commanded the Great Sleep, and for 60 Million years, they knew no more. Awakening To their great detriment, the Khafretekh dynasty was very late to awaken. One of the first and few Khafretekh nobility to ever awaken again was the Chief Cryptek, a Necron named Sekhedes, the uncle of Ahmoset. Sekhedes awoke to a complete catastrophe. The year was 995.M41 and Sekhedes’s vision flicked to life to bear witness to the Rippers of Hive Fleet Leviathan tearing his body apart, even as the Canoptek Scarabs struggled to defend him. The entire tomb complex was overrun. Taking direct control of the Canoptek constructs around him, he was able to sweep the rippers from his body and crawl to relative safety, his body below his torso ruined beyond even the advanced automatic repair protocols of the Necrons. Sekhedes downloaded an overview of the situation on the tomb world. Never in his entire life had he known such an alien force as this. The vermin had already all but stripped the entire world of its lush beauty and abundant resources, and now the horrid creatures burrowed into the tombs beneath the surface. Time was short and the horror had just begun. With no time to repair himself, no means of escape, and no hope of saving the planet, Sekhedes took a drastic step. He commanded a nearby Canoptek Wraith to approach. Then, ordered the scarabs to remove its head, and fuse what remained of his body in its place, permanently. Gaining the phasing abilities of the now-defunct wraith, he used them to quickly travel through walls and between corridors, to the Awakening room of his nephew, Ahmoset, and that of the core members of his court. He had but one chance of saving them all, and himself. Quickly he moved from room to room, awakening the nobles and as many warrior-forms as possible. All the while, the Tomb AI keeping him aware of the Tyranids’ quickening progress as they tunneled toward the core of the complex. The awakening process was rushed and incomplete. Ahmoset and the other nobles stumbled helplessly, barely able to think, let alone walk or fight. Sekhedes had them collected by wraiths and continued his trek to the center of the Tomb Complex. What few Warriors, Immortals, and other warforms could be awakened put up a feeble defense against the Tyranids, with neither direction nor fully operational systems. But the delay they inflicted was enough. Sekhedes reached the center of the complex with his precious cargo. Therein lay the fleet that Ahmoset had ordered constructed so long ago. A Cairn-Class Tomb Ship, the Shield of Amunet, along with its Scythe-Class Escort Cruisers, the Caliburn, the Durandal, and the Gramr. As well as a host of other lesser, though still phenomenally powerful, void ships of many kinds. To activate even some of the ships, though, would be a process that took altogether too long. So, Sekhedes layered a new desperate gambit upon his desperate gambit. He issued a command for all the Tesseract Vaults on the planet to be broken, and all shards of Gorthaur, released. The ensuing battle upon the Tomb World was so apocalyptic as to make the prior fighting appear like a skirmish. But even the power of the C’tan could not dissuade the terrible Leviathan. But it did purchase time. The activation sequences were complete, and Sekhedes initiated a mass recall of what few Necron warfighters remained upon the planet, teleporting them aboard the Shield of Amunet. Then, teleporting several ships directly from the tomb complex, into orbit. Still, mighty as the remnants were, not even half of the ships in the armada could be saved. Sekhedes spent only moments observing this new threat consume the former Crownworld, before activating the inertialess drives and catapulting the fleet far beyond the reach of this new horror. And so the Khafretekh dynasty rejoined the greater galaxy. A Phaeron, Remade Ahmoset and the other nobility would spend the next year under the close watch and care of Sekhedes, as he oversaw their recovery. Their sudden awakening had severely damaged several of the noble’s minds, driving some into various forms of insanity. Though some did recover, others did not. Ahmoset himself would receive particular attention, and thus did make a substantial recovery. But the Great sleep sometimes takes a strange toll. At first, Ahmoset’s recovery seemed to be progressing remarkably well. Sekhedes, though, began to notice strange discrepancies in his nephew's personality. The Chief Cryptek began to discuss plans with his nephew, to carve out a new empire in the stars. Yet Ahmoset seemed uninterested, even disengaged, in these conversations. Where once lay a proud mind filled with ambition and dreams of an Empire that would span across the Milky Way, now lay a different sort of mind, with different sorts of dreams. Shortly after Ahmoset resumed his throne, Sekhedes would lead a minor battle against a so-called "feudal world" of the Imperium, which the Khafretekh had just begun to discover had well and truly usurped the Necrontyr Empire in this new age. It would provide the Khafretekh with desperately needed resources for their ancient fleet. It was a simple fight against an unprepared and pitiful foe. The opening skirmishes were a massacre for the human vermin. But to Sekhedes's shock, Ahmoset arrived on the field and took command of his army, ordering them to fall back. Then he commanded that they reengage, now following the doctrines laid out by the Codes of War. The Codes of War being only used when Necron fought Necron, many in the royal court were outraged that Ahmoset would use it against such an inferior species. Mankind was totally unworthy of the Codes. But then, even worse, Ahmoset would offer the humans a chance to surrender. They refused, and were subsequently crushed. But that Ahmoset had offered the chance at all was beyond scandalous. Ahmoset returned to the Shield of Amunet to face his court, who demanded explanation. But instead, he would ignore their demands, and make his first declaration as a free Necron Phaeron. The Khafretekh would undergo a new glorious and noble purpose. The last command of the Silent King lingered heavily in all Necron minds. To restore the Necron empire. The only way for the Khafretekh to restore their dynasty would be to embrace their founder's teachings of old. They would once again become beacons of honor and wisdom, as Amunet was. And not only would they restore their Dynasty, but they would restore the other Dynasties. The Khafretekh's worlds had already been lost, and so they would instead become a shield against adversity for other Necrons. Their entire race was teetering on the brink, Ahmoset said, and they would be among the ones who made the sacrifices to see the rest of the Necron race restored to their rightful places. And the younger races? They would be shown the same respect in battle as a Necron, and so it would be shown why it was that the Necrontyr had ruled, and why they would do so again. The chamber was quiet. Frustrated, but beginning to understand that Ahmoset's change was brought on by an unusual interpretation of the Silent King’s final command, Sekhedes weighed his options. He could either denounce Ahmoset as insane and start a power struggle, or he could solidify his nephew’s rulership in this new age, which already looked shaky. But Sekhedes knew how fragile the Khafretekh’s position was. He voiced his agreement with the Phaeron's will. And so, one by one, the other Nemessors and Lords would fall in line with Ahmoset's declaration. Few were keen on this new plan, but they would fall in, for the time being. At last prepared to face the present day, the Khafretekh looked out upon the once-great domain of the Necrontyr to see a galaxy ablaze. Everywhere, they had been usurped. By a so-called Imperium. By the devolved Orks. By strange, immaterial entities from the Warp. And worst of all, by the Tyranids, who ravaged it all. It was these Tyranids who drew the consummate ire of the Phaeron. Rejoining the Galaxy At last prepared to face the present day, the Khafretekh looked out upon the once-great domain of the Necrontyr to see a galaxy ablaze. Everywhere, they had been usurped. By a so-called Imperium. By the devolved Orks. By strange, immaterial entities from the Warp. And worst of all, by the Tyranids, who ravaged it all. It was these Tyranids who drew the consummate ire of the Phaeron. The highest priority of the Khafretekh Armada immediately became, and has consistently remained, to protect still-awakening Tomb Worlds from the Tyranids. Ahmoset resolved early on that he would do everything possible to prevent the tragedy of the Khafretekh from becoming the tragedy of other dynasties. And to many Phaerons, this made them among the most honorable of all. Some Necron lords, ever-loving to create honorific titles, began to call the Phaeron "Ahmoset the Gallant." True to this new name, when Void Warfare was impossible, Ahmoset would frequently take the field himself to fight with his armies. And Ahmoset's overlord-form was far stronger, faster, tougher, and quicker-minded than Ahmoset had ever been in life. And he began to relish these times of battle, reveling in his newfound strength. But never so much that he would make a mockery of his enemies, even the lowliest, most pitiful of enemies. With the exception of the Hive Fleets. The Hive Fleets he would plough through with brutal wrath. And with all these gifts, he began to sweep aside the enemies of the Khafretekh and the Necrons at large. And Sekhedes, too, would take to the field, whether alone or by Ahmoset's side. He would serve Ahmoset as an advisor and sometimes as a general, lending his experience and knowledge to help his nephew in all matters. He especially lent his expertise in matters of politics and courtly intrigue, which would prove to be the Phaeron's new greatest weakness. Though he had been a skilled politician in life, Ahmoset's 60-million-year-old mind now could scarcely comprehend the scheming, machination, and favor trading. So, in civil matters, it quickly became apparent to the other nobles that Sekhedes was the power behind the throne, though he would never try to seize it. To begin with, few of the court were as enthused about Ahmoset’s quest as he was. It could sometimes be difficult to stir them to action. The Khafretekh nobility now could often be found using their new tireless forms to spend literal weeks or longer arguing or debating unceasingly and without rest. And when they weren’t, they often chose to pursue petty rivalries and schemes. Several times in this unstable period, it fell to Sekhedes to make the proper threats and promises to secure his nephew’s power. Sometimes, he would even have to intervene to silence plots against Ahmoset. Few of Ahmoset's Lychguard survived Hive Fleet Leviathan, and so by Sekhedes's command, the Phaeron could often be seen under the watchful protection of Canoptek Wraiths. Still, the political genius and guardianship of Sekhedes left Ahmoset mostly free to lead his dynasty as he would in regards to his grand vision. The Khafretekh became known as a force that would materialize from the void, strike like lightning in defense of a world, then vanish again into starlight. Embracing the Codes of War to the point of fanaticism, Ahmoset would sometimes even fight with his armies alongside Imperium forces, helping to defend their planets against Tyranid invasion. Of course, such acts were not entirely charity. The price for such intervention usually came in the form of resources to replenish the fabrication halls of the Shield of Amunet. Many, many resources. Occasionally, these requests would be met with gratitude. But far more often than not, the Imperium’s defenders would simply turn upon Ahmoset's armies immediately after the first invasion was repelled. In such cases, Ahmoset would meet dishonor with honor, and crush the already-tattered Imperial forces, still holding to the Codes of War the entire time. And then simply taking his requested tithe once his enemies could not stop him from doing so. New Allies, New Enemies Upon the conclusion of a war in which the Khafretekh Armada successfully destroyed a small splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Kraken, Ahmoset and Sekhedes were approached by a mysterious traveler, bearing gifts. Naming herself Thutaruun, once-Phaerakh of the Nazzaros Dynasty, she bid greetings to the Phaeron and his Chief Cryptek, offering her services to the armada in the name of her liege, Szarekh, the Silent King. She explained that Szarekh had noticed their dedication in the crusade against the Tyranids and wished to earn their allegiance by sending her, and much more. Thutaruun delivered to the armada several tesseract vaults. To their astoundment, they mostly contained shards of Gorthaur, the Terrible Dread. And more, she delivered several shards of a strange C’tan named “Dioscuri, the Twin.” Sekhedes expressed reservations and concerns in the face of such overwhelming generosity, wondering why the Silent King should show such favor, and what he would expect in return. But Ahmoset, in a moment of political clarity, scolded his uncle for speaking dishonorably of the Triarch, dismissing him from the meeting. Then Ahmoset concluded the discussions and accepted Thutaruun’s gifts and services, naming her an honorary Nemessor of the Khafretekh Dynasty and beginning the Khafretekh’s association with the Silent King. The C’tan shards returned to the Khafretekh were a boon that increased the Dynasty’s power by orders of magnitude, allowing them to face battles that were far beyond them before. Thutaruun herself would prove to be a powerful, if incredibly brutal, ally, with a taste for the sadistic. She and Ahmoset would frequently clash over ideals, and Thutaruun cared little for Ahmoset's self-important sense of honor. Vermin were vermin, and to be swept aside. Still, she was strong. And loyal, despite her constant criticism. Sekhedes clashed with her just as frequently, though for different reasons. Each one would try to sway Ahmoset’s actions, whether for the benefit of the Dynasty, the Triarch, both, or even for no reason at all but to have swayed the Phaeron. He did not trust Thutaruun or the Silent King. He felt certain the Triarch would spend the Khafretekh like currency if it had to. Despite the infighting that plagued his advisors and court, Ahmoset’s sense of purpose was undimmed. If anything, it grew stronger each day, and his force of will to lead the Khafretekh became more absolute. Respect for the Phaeron grew, and even a sense of lost, if uneasy, unity. And the Khafretekh would soon need it. Rumors of a powerful Necron warfleet pillaging the fringe worlds of the Imperium had reached the Adeptus Administratum, the Imperial Navy, and worst of all, the Inquisition’s Ordo Xenos. The Khafretekh would fight several campaigns against the Imperium near the end of the 41st Millenium, most of them defensive. It was a simple thing to avoid the Imperial Navy with powerful cloaking and phase-shifting technologies, but soon the Khafretekh would find themselves engaging the Deathwatch with increasing frequency, as they were the most successful in finding the Khafretekh with any regularity. A Deathwatch Kill Team once even managed to infiltrate the inner chambers of the Shield of Amunet before being detected and just barely repelled by Thutaruun and her attaché of Triarch Praetorians. The Battle of Taria VII As the 41st Millenium drew to a close and just as the 42nd Millenium would begin, another missive from Szarekh, the Silent King, came. Szarekh's message ordered the Khafretekh to immediately divert to the Cadian sector. Something was happening. The Warp rumbled and roiled. The Khafretekh were tasked with evacuating a dormant Crown World that was in the path of the now rapidly-expanding Eye of Terror. Nothing in their long eons could have prepared the Khafretekh for what lay in wait once they arrived. The Dynasty had been content to ignore the machinations of Chaos. The Necrontyr had long possessed technology that was anathema to the denizens of the Warp, and whatever they did, they could be dealt with after the greater Tyranid menace had been destroyed. As Ahmoset, Sekhedes, and Thutaruun looked at the scene before them, they realized just how wrong that thought had been. The Warp roiled and cracked as Daemons poured out of the expanding Eye of Terror onto the world below. But they were not the only ones. The Tomb World of Taria VII below hosted a war already, as a chapter of Adeptus Astartes fought against the daemonic tide, and Heretic Astarte allies, to evacuate billions of humans who'd built their cities on the ruins of another once-proud dynasty, now barely beginning to stir. And above, the battle-barges of the Astartes were already locked in deadly void-combat with their Chaos-tainted kin, who had their own titanic fleet raining fire down upon the world below. Rapidly analyzing billions of potential outcomes for the battle ahead, Ahmoset decided a risk was necessary if the Tomb World was to be rescued. He decloaked the entire armada and began a targeted bombardment of the Chaos fleet, while simultaneously deploying hundreds of Night Scythes to the world below. All the while ignoring the Imperial barges. The initial volley of lightning arcs and particle whips would instantly incinerate one of the larger Chaos ships. Ahmoset was all too aware that such ambush tactics were against the Code of Combat, but this was an utterly desperate circumstance. And the rest of the battle would be far more grueling than the opening volley. As the Night Scythes arrived in the atmosphere, Ahmoset ordered Sekhedes and Thutaruun to command the ground forces and engage the daemons, and Ahmoset would lead the void battle personally. The armies of mankind were astounded to see thousands upon thousands of Necrons teleporting into battle and intervening against their enemies. But so oppressive was the daemonic incursion that each side recognized without words exchanged that they had to stand together or fail. Even Thutaruun did not dare deviate to attack the Imperial forces today. And Sekhedes would descend into the tombs to hasten the awakening of the Necron court, as he once did for his own Dynasty. Meanwhile in Orbit, titans clashed. The Khafretekh Armada had always been able to phase out of a battle that went against them, but today that would not be possible. They had to stay and fight until Sekhedes completed his work. And time was against them. Even the combined might of an Adeptus Astartes and a Necron warfleet could not hold forever against the seemingly unlimited number of hellish nightmares and daemon infested ships that now spilled from the encroaching Eye of Terror. Lances and lightning arcs silently lit up the void above Taria VII. The Khafretekh's phasing and teleportation technology served them well, preserving their cruisers well beyond the limits of ordinary ships fielded by younger races. Ahmoset's gamble was paying off, and the Imperial fleet was ignoring the Khafretekh. But against such overwhelming firepower, even Necrons cannot stand forever. Several Khopesh and Cartouche-class cruisers were destroyed, along with hundreds of Doom Scythes and Void Bombers. The Durandal was crippled by an unfortunately accurate broadside from a fetid Retaliator-class Cruiser bearing the Mark of Nurgle. Worse, the Gramr was detonated from within by boarding action. Finally, Ahmoset committed the Shield of Amunet into the heart of the battle. The colossal warship initially shoved back the Chaos fleet, but then immediately came under heavy fire. And the Imperial fleet was beginning to withdraw, their own evacuation complete. Or at least, as complete as they felt they could afford. Time was running out. The Shield of Amunet began to spar with a pair of Desolator Battleships, their heavy, warp-guided weaponry punching through the Tomb Ship's quantum shields and tracking even through its attempts to phase in and out. The first Desolator would fall to the Shield of Amunet's Energy Drain generators, all of its power siphoned from its systems, leaving it a helpless mass of metal floating in space. But Ahmoset knew his ship lacked the strength to face the remaining battleship. Even if they retreated now it would take years to fully repair the Tomb Ship. He had but one option, and it was a bad option. Ahmoset ordered the Caliburn to come alongside the Chaos Battleship and shield the Khafretekh flagship from its fury. Volley after volley, broadside after broadside the Caliburn absorbed as it diverted all its energy to defensive measures. Then at last, as the Caliburn could give no more, Sekhedes completed his work, phasing hundreds of thousands of Necrons from the surface back aboard the Shield of Amunet. Both Khafretekh and those from the now-saved dynasty. Ahmoset ordered an immediate withdrawal, what was left of his armada vanishing even as the Eye of Terror consumed Taria VII, the Caliburn imploded, and the Great Rift tore the galaxy in half. Into the 42nd Millennium Reeling from their losses, the Khafretekh would disappear for decades. The dynasty's crypteks would need that time in order to repair the surviving vessels. The dynasty they had rescued from Taria VII would also disappear into the stars to make their own way, after leaving a tithe of warriors and other warforms in the care of the Khafretekh, in payment for what they had done. Sekhedes would spend all of his time working to restore the fleet, and so would rarely be seen with the Phaeron in these years. A consequence of this was that Ahmoset became closer with the Triarch, fully aligning himself with the will of the Silent King, who Ahmoset decided must still be the rightful ruler of the Necrontyr no matter how much time had passed. During this time and until the reconstruction was completed, Thutaruun would come and go, as the Silent King demanded. Sometimes she would disappear for years. But each time she returned to the hidden armada, she would bring new gifts for the Khafretekh, ranging from artifacts, to weapons, to war machines, to small ships. Once, she even returned from her travels to deliver an entire Destroyer Cult and its Lord to serve the Khafretekh. Understandably, this did nothing to ease Sekhedes’s concerns about her or the Silent King. But, at last, the Chief Cryptek’s work would be done. The restoration of the Khafretekh armada was complete. Diminished, but still deadly. Currently, the Khafretekh sojourn amongst the worlds, awakening tombs and crushing the Tyranid menace wherever possible, as they once did. But also, now, fighting the waxing power of Chaos, seeking the rare materials, and the even rarer allies, with which to do so. Notable Khafretekh Dynasty Members and Allies Phaeron Ahmoset, the Gallant: The current Phaeron of the Khafretekh Dynasty. Ahmoset in life had been a ruthless warlord, but now the Great Sleep has twisted his mind into a strange and noble shape. Now, he lives eternally as an echo of the Khafretekh's first Philosopher Queen, Amunet. Ahmoset strives to lead his people with a sense of honor, wisdom, and loyalty, as the Phaerakh of old. Known to frustrate his court by treating most foes according to the Necron Codes of War, they would rather he allow such high minded philosophies to remain as rhetoric, not strategy. Though the Phaeron has proven to be a capable military leader, his sense of honor has often led battles against lesser foes to be more difficult than necessary. Chief Cryptek Sekhedes, the Wraith Lord: The Chief Cryptek of the Khafretekh Dynasty and loyal servant of his nephew, the Phaeron. Resourceful and creative, Sekhedes saved the Khafretekh Dynasty from being totally destroyed. Forced to mutilate his own Necron body by merging it with a Canoptek Wraith, this act allowed him to evacuate the Crownworld just before it was consumed by Hive Fleet Leviathan. Thus, he saved at least a portion of the Dynasty, and its mighty Armada. His expertise lies in the workings of Necron air and voidcraft. Though he respects his nephew's decrees, when given free reign to lead battle, he is more than willing to set aside the Codes of War against lesser foes. Many in the noble courts look upon him with disdain. Any Necron who is willing to alter what little remains of their Necrontyr form surely suffers from the worst form of madness. But it is rumored that a cult of lesser Necron nobles have begun to form around Sekhedes, altering themselves as he did, merging their forms with Canoptek constructs and taking to the field in glory, and in horror. Phaerakh/Nemessor Thutaruun, of the Nazzaros Dynasty: A relatively recent arrival to the Khafretekh royal court. The Phaerakh is a controversial figure even amongst the less scrupulous Khafretekh nobility. Formerly of the Nazzaros Dynasty, she is all that remains of her once-proud people. Nevertheless, Ahmoset has chosen that she should still be referred to by her honorific title. Once a Phaerakh, always a Phaerakh. Thutaruun arrived to the Khafretekh as an emissary of the Silent King, seeking to bring the Khafretekh under the Triarch once more. This required little persuasion, as the Khafretekh were always historically close to the Triarch. More strangely, though, she arrived bearing gifts for the armada. Reinforcements for a soldier-starved Dynasty, and shards of various different C'tan. They were well received. What has not been well received is the vicious brutality of the Phaerakh herself. At least among some of the court, she is consider barbaric. Engaging in torture and extermination for its own sake, some whisper that she is little better than a Destroyer Lord. Phaeron Ahmoset frequently argues with her upon the bridge of his flagship, and neither respect each other's ideals. Yet the Phaerakh is allowed to remain, because Ahmoset deems her to be a valuable asset, both as a link to the Silent King, and a powerful ally. Void Admiral Ptotep, the Judicator: In the days before the biotransference, the Phaeron Ahmoset had ordered the construction of a mighty fleet, that he might extend his ambitious hand to grasp a galaxy ripe for the picking. Ptotep was a famed flying ace. A rare choice of career for a Necrontyr noble, even a lesser one. But his skill at aerial and void-based annihilation drew the attention of the Phaeron. He would be the admiral of this glorious armada he was building. Eager for the opportunity to show his quality further, the proud pilot accepted the opportunity. He would never get the chance to command it in life, as Necrontyr. However, now, the Void Admiral commands the Khafretekh armada with soulless efficiency and unassailable pride, as Necron. As time passes, he grows more and more resentful of Ahmoset, who stays his hand in battle. The Phaeron, he feels, prevents him from commanding this magnificent fleet as it deserves. Instead of using it as a beautiful scythe, to harvest their enemies, he's forced to use it "honorably" and more like a blunt instrument, to his ever-increasing frustration. If only he were allowed to unleash this armada, he could conquer any foe. Nemessor Mehmet, the Doomblade: After the Battle of Taria VII, a Nemessor boarded the Shield of Amunet ''from the Dynasty that had just been rescued from Annihilation. However, when that Dynasty departed, Nemessor Mehmet elected to stay, and Ahmoset permitted it. Unbeknownst to Ahmoset, however, Nemessor Mehmet would quickly begin displaying the common nihilistic madness of the Necrons known as Destroyers. Thus a Destroyer Lord and his cult took up residence upon a dark corner of the Phaeron's flagship. Nemessor Mehmet communicates with the Khafretekh only rarely. He, like all Destroyer Lords, cares only for the extermination of all life. He speaks to the Khafretekh only to receive instructions on where to join battle. Phaeron Ahmoset loathes the Nemessor above all others, but allows him and his cult to remain. Partly because they are Necron, and Ahmoset wonders if it may be possible to repair their minds. Partly also because Sekhedes has advised his nephew that to attempt to dislodge this Destroyer Cult from the ship would come at great cost to the dynasty's already limited resources. Better to let them remain, for they are harmless upon the ship, and a valuable tool upon the field. Gorthaur, the Terrible Dread: All the C'tan were malevolent, vile creatures. Gorthaur was no exception in this. But in one way, he was different than many C'tan. He was utterly beautiful to behold. But this beauty belied a heart of murder and single-minded ruination. It pleased Gorthaur to annihilation whatever life lay before him, but what truly satisfied him was to feed upon suffering souls. A fearless soul, after all, had no flavor to it. But a weeping, desperate, terrified soul? A delicacy. During the War in Heaven, Gorthaur lead the Khafretekh Dynasty in war. But, like almost every other C'tan, Gorthaur was shattered into many shards when the Silent King turned the Necrons against their C'tan masters. The legions and armadas of the Khafretekh broke Gorthaur. Even as they did, a horrible wave of fear and terror washed over the seemingly soulless Necrons. Fear as they had not known since the days before the Biotransference. It dissipated as the Khafretekh captured the fragmented shards of Gorthaur, imprisoning several of them. But all of them, even the lowliest warrior, retain memory of this fear. The Khafretekh to this day remain loathe to unleash him upon the field of battle, and will only do so under the most desperate of circumstances. Just to look upon one of his shards is enough to fill even the Phaeron with a creeping anxiety. As if, one day, he is certain to return and extract horrible revenge. Dioscuri, the Twins: The Khafretekh themselves have no record of this C'tan from before the War in Heaven, or indeed even after. Several shards of this creature were collected and delivered to the Khafretekh by Thutaruun when she joined her forces with the Khafretekh Dynasty's. Dioscuri seems to be unusual among C'tan. A singular being, with two highly distinctive personas. Not simply a fragmented personality, but two very whole, identifiable persons. Yet Dioscuri is also seemingly One. Sekhedes has identified the two personalities, dubbing them "Castor" and "Pollux." Each are vindictive and malevolent. But Castor seems to favor wading into the forces of the enemy and obliterating them from within their midst, in close quarters. And Pollux seems to take pleasure in delivering death from afar, enjoying the desperation of dying foes who are unable to even retaliate. Battle Doctrine Land Doctrine: The Khafretekh Dynasty's land battle doctrine tends to vary heavily based on who is given over command of the army. Phaeron Ahmoset favors pitched battle and direct confrontation with overwhelming strength, bringing to bear the phenomenal firepower of the Khafretekh's advanced vehicles, Immortal legions, and Lychguard. He has little taste for guile when he takes command, and will often engage in duels with enemy warlords upon the battlefield. His scythe has reaped many heads of many kinds. Mostly Tyranid bioforms. Sekhedes favors lightning raids with Tomb Blades and Canoptek Constructs, moving in and overwhelming his enemies with fast, ferocious strikes, and then retreating before the full strength of the enemy can be brought to bear. This sort of strategic mindset has proven effective when stealing necessary resources from heavily defended worlds. On the rare occasion when the Phaeron permits Thutaruun to take command, she has been known to heavily favor the reckless use of C'tan shards. This has proven to be brutally effective in almost any situation, but has also occasionally caused shards to be lost. It is for this reason that Phaeron Ahmoset rarely allows Thutaruun to take command, preferring to keep a close eye on her, usually only allowing her to bring her Triarch attachés into the field. One aspect of Khafretekh battle doctrine that is relatively unchanging is a favoring of vehicles. The Khafretekh dynasty's forces are too small to consistently bring legions of Warriors and Immortals to bear. Thus, no matter who is in command, these powerful constructs are frequently put to use as force multipliers. It is exceedingly rare to see the Khafretekh engage an enemy without the support of Doomsday Arks and Tomb Blades, for example. Void Doctrine: The Void Battle Doctrine of the Khafretekh Dynasty has mostly been developed by Void Admiral Ptotep. Much to the Phaeron's chagrin, it makes heavy use of dishonorable stealth and ambush tactics. The Khafretekh Armada is utterly deadly, but even so, the doom brought by a Necron fleet is one that all peoples take exceptionally seriously. Despite its power, the Khafretekh Armada is too small to openly flaunt that power without facing constant retribution. Thus, a battle doctrine involving a great deal of stealth has been deemed a necessary evil. Still, Ahmoset does curb some of Ptotep's most ingenious schemes, to his frustration. When faced with void battle, the Khafretekh armada uses its sophisticated phasing technology to approach as close as possible to the enemy force undetected. The linchpin ships of the enemy fleet are identified, and as soon as the Khopesh and Shroud class Cruisers are within range, the battle is opened. The ships phase in and unleash a devastating firestorm of Lightning Arc and Particle Whip fire, in an attempt to immediately disable the first targets. Sometimes, this opening barrage is enough to tip the scales over immediately, and the Khafretekh cruisers can finish the battle unassisted. When it is not enough, hundreds of Doom Scythes and Night Shroud bombers are launched from the other escort ships to join the fray. The preternatural abilities of these craft will almost always be enough to overwhelm any remaining resistance. If the enemy fleet is potent enough to stand against even this, then Jackal-class Escort Raiders will join the fray, moving quickly in close quarters to unbalance the enemy fleet. This unbalancing is in preparation for the arrival of the Scythe-class Escort Cruisers and their charge, the Cairn-class Tomb Ship, ''Shield of Amunet. As of yet, the apocalyptic firepower of these ships has not failed to win victory against any foe except the Tyranid menace. And even then, some splinter fleets have been shattered by the arrival of this core of the Khafretekh armada. Notable Campaigns * Leviathan Breakout (995.M41)- Escaping the doomed Crown World of Khafra was not the end of the battle for survival against Hive Fleet Leviathan. Even while Sekhedes worked to fully restore the Khafretekh Royal Court, he also had to navigate and do battle with Hive Fleet Leviathan, working through the tendrils like a maze for months until he was finally able to break out and escape into the void. * First Reapings (996-997.M41)- These years were spent by Sekhedes, and then also Ahmoset, raiding Imperial fringe worlds for badly needed mineral resources. Resources that Sekhedes would use to build new Canoptek constructs and vehicles. These raids, by chance, were mostly conducted against Feudal worlds, and were so quickly done that rarely did the worlds know what had truly happened. * Extermination Wars (997.M41-Ongoing)- The main ongoing quest of the Khafretekh Dynasty has been and remains the annihilation of Tyranid Hive Fleets wherever and whenever possible. The priority is to prevent the destruction and consumption of Necron Tomb Worlds, but the Khafretekh Dynasty will make efforts to defend any world, if possible. Even uninhabited worlds, and most surprisingly to some, worlds inhabited by lesser species. Phaeron Ahmoset believes that to allow a Tyranid Hive Fleet to consume an Imperium world, for example, does not serve the Necrons and only makes the Tyranid menace stronger. He has been known to even make temporary alliances of convenience with these lesser species until the greater Tyranid threat is abated. * War of the Pirates (998.M41-007.M42)- In 998.M41, the Khafretekh Armada received a request from another Dynasty to assist them in repulsing a fleet of Aeldari Corsairs that were destroying their Tomb Worlds. When the armada arrived, the situation was worse than expected. Thus began a long hunt, with the Khafretekh unable to corner and destroy the Corsairs before they were called to another war by the Silent King. When the Khafretekh returned, the Corsairs had succeeded in completely destroying all remaining Tomb Worlds in the subsector. Outraged, Phaeron Ahmoset spent the next several years renewing the hunt. It became increasingly complicated the Corsairs would ambush the Khafretekh during their own raids for resources. A slippery conflict mostly conducted in the void, finally came to an end with Thutaruun successfully led a Kill Team to assassinate the Corsair admiral and released Destroyers upon the Aeldari ships. * War of the Gods (999.M41-Ongoing)- At the command of the Silent King, and beginning with the Battle of Taria VII in 999.M41 just after the destruction of the Cadian Gates, the Khafretekh Dynasty have become sporadically embroiled in an ongoing war against the forces of Chaos. Chaos proving to be as tough as their unnatural origins would suggest, this campaign has only seen infrequent success on the part of the Khafretekh Dynasty. Often, it has required the use of C'tan shards to ensure the survival of the dynasty, and victory. Multiple instances have been recorded of C'tan shards engaging Daemons in earth-breaking combat. Because of this, Phaeron Ahmoset has dubbed this campaign "the War of the Gods," and he suspects it may be the most important war of all... Notable Quotes By the Khafretekh "What manner of foulness are you? You make a mockery of both flesh and machine!" -Chief Cryptek Sekhedes of the Khafretekh Dynasty upon seeing an Adeptus Mechanicus Tech Priest for the first time. "I extended my hand in honor and cooperation, and you swatted it away out of your own pride. Do not now wail at me for what's become of your citizenry, governor. Their blood is on your hands. Curse you for making me an executioner today." -Phaeron Ahmoset, Khafretekh Dynasty "Hail, Lord Governor. You are receiving this missive in accordance with the Codes of War, to inform you that the Khafretekh Armada has entered your orbit and intends to make war against you. You are trespassing in the domain of another sovereign Dynasty of the Necron Empire. Phaeron Ahmoset is generous and merciful, however. You may respond to this missive in the following three ways. 1. Any attempt to surrender will be honored. You and your people will be placed under the service and protection of the local Tomb World. 2. The Lord Governor may choose to resolve this conflict by challenging the glorious Phaeron, Ahmoset the Gallant, to honorable single combat. The victor will be granted full authority to decide the fate of the planet and those upon it. 3. The Lord Governor may choose to muster his armies and meet the Khafretekh upon the field of battle in 15 local days, marked from the time this missive is received. Failure to respond to this missive will lead to planetary invasion after the designated 15 local days whether local defensive forces are prepared or whether they are not. Phaeron Ahmoset awaits your reply, and expresses his hopes that you will not dismiss abject surrender out of hand. He does find the annihilation of lesser species to be distasteful." -Missive from the Khafretekh Armada to the Planetary Governor of Gaurus III "Ah, yes, the mighty Aeldari. Which 'god' do they cower before this week?" -Nemessor Thutaruun About the Khafretekh Feel free to add your own!Category:Necrons Category:Necron Dynasties Category:Xenos